BCNSW eCert API for the electrical industry
Eligible electrical businesses and software providers can securely connect their existing systems to the BCNSW eCert portal using our approved API.
What does the API do?
The API enables eligible businesses* to connect their own systems and software to the BCNSW eCert portal.
The API allows these businesses to send the data needed to generate Certificates of Compliance for Electrical Work (CCEW) directly from their business system to the BCNSW eCert portal. This data is submitted on behalf of the licensed electrician performing the electrical work.
The API is designed for:
- Job Management System (JMS) software providers and other work management software vendors that provide products to licensed electricians
- Electrical businesses with a company or partnership contractor licence that are submitting a high volume of CCEWs
- Other organisations eligible under legislative requirements including DCCEEW registered CER Installer Portal users.
The API does not:
- change who is legally responsible for a CCEW – the individual electrician remains responsible for the accuracy and completeness of each CCEW
- replace the BCNSW eCert portal – the BCNSW eCert portal remains the system of record
- remove or alter trade licensing requirements for electricians – all submissions are checked against the licensing database to ensure the electrician holds a current valid trade licence for the work performed.
Important: Access to the API is only available to eligible businesses once they have been onboarded by Building Commission NSW.
*referred to as 'eligible entities' in the amended Gas and Electricity (Consumer Safety) Regulation 2018.
How the API works
- The electrician completes testing of electrical work and enters CCEW information into the integrated business system.
- The organisation submits this information to the BCNSW eCert portal using the API.
- The portal performs validation checks, including licence verification.
- The portal generates and stores the CCEW.
- The portal distributes the certificate to relevant parties.
Once certificates are submitted, they are stored in the electrician’s BCNSW eCert portal account.
Certificates are emailed to the electrician and distributed to the employer, customer, and distributor (if applicable).
Who is eligible to use the API?
The API is available to businesses and entities that meet the eligibility requirements set out in the Gas and Electricity (Consumer Safety) Regulation 2018.
In order to be eligible to use the API, the business must:
- not have committed an offence or contravened the Gas and Electricity (Consumer Safety) Act 2017 or Gas and Electricity (Consumer Safety) Regulation 2018,
- ensure all of the information being submitted in the CCEW as held in their system can be audited by Building Commission NSW (if required), and
- be able to provide the CCEW information to Building Commission NSW within 7 days of receiving this from the individual licensed electrician.
Important: Failure to comply with the 7-day submission requirement carries a maximum penalty of 40 penalty units for a corporation, 20 penalty units for an individual.
Other considerations for eligible businesses
Businesses using the API should:
- have appropriate privacy, consent and security controls
- verify the identity of electricians they act on behalf of
- ensure all required data can be submitted in the specified format required by the API
For technical requirements, see the technical guide for developers.
Accessing the API for your business
Check your business meets the eligibility requirements
Before requesting access, confirm your business meets the eligibility requirements outlined above.
To help you understand how the API works, what's required to implement it, and your responsibilities when using it, you should review these essential resources:
Request access to the test environment
Next, request access to the test (non-production) environment for the API.
Email bcnswecert@customerservice.nsw.gov.au with the following details:
- Business name
- Business type
- Brief description of the system you want to integrate
- Contact details for the person who will receive API credentials (including name, phone number and email address)
- IP addresses for API whitelisting
- The endpoint to be tested (select only one). See the technical guide for developers for endpoint descriptions.
- instant (synchronous) or
- batched (asynchronous)
- If using the asynchronous submission type, provide an email address to receive notifications.
- Purpose of access: Testing
Once our team has reviewed your information, we'll provide you with:
- access to the test environment
- encrypted API credentials (your Client ID and Client Secret)
- agency reference identifier for your organisation (your Agency ID)
- technical documentation to support integration and testing
Technical documentation will be published in late July 2026. In the meantime, the documentation will only be provided to users who request access to the test environment.
Build and test your API integration
Using the test environment and the technical documentation your business will be able to:
- build your API integration
- validate data and submission processes
- test error handling and system responses
All technical requirements, including payload structure and validation rules, are provided in the technical documentation supplied to you as part of API onboarding. This documentation will be publicly available for download from technical guide for developers later in July 2026.
Important: The API is self-service – this also includes the test environment. You will be able to use the technical documentation provided to develop and test your integration.
Request access to the production environment
Once testing is complete, you can then request access to the production environment.
Email bcnswecert@customerservice.nsw.gov.au and provide the following information:
- Business name
- Contact person details to be used for the production stage API credentials (including name, phone number and email address)
- Has testing been completed using the test endpoints? (yes or no)
- Have you been issued with API credentials previously? (yes or no)
- API submission type to be used:
- instant (synchronous) or
- batched (asynchronous)
- If using the asynchronous submission type, provide an email address to receive notifications
- IP address for API whitelisting
- Purpose of access: Production
Receive credentials and start submitting certificates via API
Once steps 1 to 4 have been successfully completed, our team will contact you to provide the following:
- Access to the production environment
- Encrypted API credentials
- Endpoint details
Your business can then begin submitting CCEWs through the API.
Remember, all CCEW submissions must:
- comply with legislative requirements, and
- meet API terms and conditions
Support and troubleshooting
The API is designed for self-service use. Building Commission NSW does not provide technical support to developers when building the API integration or managing issues such as debugging.
Use the technical documentation as your primary source of support.
You can email us at bcnswecert@customerservice.nsw.gov.au for support with API access issues, credential or environment set up issues, or suspected system faults.
Looking for technical information?
More information
Visit the BCNSW eCert page for more guidance and resources about the portal.